Samaritan’s Purse: Helping in Jesus’ Name
"Go and do likewise."
With these words, Jesus commanded His hearers to help those in need wherever they found them, just like the Good Samaritan did when he rescued a hurting man whom others had passed by (Luke 10:30-37).
Since 1970, Samaritan's Purse has helped meet the needs of people who have been thrown into the ditches of life—victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, famine, and persecution. Wherever we serve, our goal is the same: to relieve suffering and share the eternal hope found only in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
International Crisis Relief
Catastrophic events—wars, earthquakes, storms, epidemic diseases—can strike anytime, anywhere. And they don’t discriminate. Anyone, from presidents to paupers, can be affected. When crises occur around the world, Samaritan’s Purse quickly mobilises and deploys Disaster Assistance Response Teams to deliver food, water, medical care, and other life-saving relief in Jesus’ Name.
When COVID-19 overwhelmed the world, we raised Emergency Field Hospitals in Italy, New York City, and other parts of the US to care for the sick and dying. We also deployed field hospitals to disaster zones and to areas hit hard during other health crises, including Ebola, diphtheria, and cholera.
In conflict-torn Ukraine, we treated over 23,000 patients through our combined medical facilities, including our Emergency Field Hospital, in various parts of the country. We are also providing hundreds of tonnes of food, water, hygiene kits, blankets, winter clothing, and other critical items to refugee families through church partners in both Ukraine and Moldova.
“We are really grateful. Thank you! We feel that you pray for us. We feel it in our hearts. It’s a really big support, knowing we are not alone.”
—a couple in Ukraine, after receiving some urgent-care items at one of our partner churches in Lviv
Operation Christmas Child
Operation Christmas Child works with pastors and church leaders around the world to host festive outreach events where children in need receive gift-filled shoeboxes packed with fun toys, hygiene items, and school supplies. The boys and girls also hear a child-friendly Gospel presentation and are given the opportunity to accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
Since 1993, Samaritan’s Purse has delivered gift-filled shoeboxes to over 200 million children in more than 170 countries and territories.
“Every shoebox represents an opportunity to reach one more child with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
—Franklin Graham
The Greatest Journey
After receiving shoebox gifts, children are invited to participate in The Greatest Journey, 12 fun and interactive Bible lessons, where they get the chance to discover who Jesus is and how to begin their own journey of faith. As they do, entire families and communities are transformed by the power of the Gospel, and new churches are started.
More than 30 million children have enrolled in The Greatest Journey since 2009 with more than 15 million boys and girls making decisions for Christ.
“A big thanks to my Greatest Journey teachers and to those who donated the books. The 12 lessons transformed me, my family, and my friends. I promise I will keep on sharing the Gospel as the Bible commands. I want the world to hear about and know Christ.”
—a boy in Kenya who shared The Greatest Journey materials with his parents and four siblings.
Medical Ministries
Samaritan's Purse has a variety of medical programmes that support those living with conditions such as heart defects, cleft lips and cataracts, providing life-changing surgery, all in the Name of Jesus.
Our World Medical Mission places Christian physicians, dentists, and other medical professionals on short-term volunteer service assignments at mission hospitals and clinics in Africa, Asia, Oceania, Latin America, and the Middle East. We also care for the sick through cataract surgeries, cleft lip and palate surgeries, and surgical subspeciality teams.
“I wasn’t expecting anyone to help me. I would have had cataracts for the rest of my life.”
—Ramona, whose sight was restored through our cataract surgical mission in Mexico’s Copper Canyon.
Clean Water
Samaritan’s Purse is working to bring clean water to impoverished communities across the globe that are plagued by drought, disaster, or poverty. We’re digging water ponds, providing household water filters, installing rainwater storage systems, and rehabilitating broken wells.
➤ Learn More About Clean Water
“I never expected the water situation to change. Samaritan’s Purse has done so many things that relieved our burden. The entire community is happy.”
—Eunice, who once walked two hours each way to the nearest water source. Samaritan’s Purse teams excavated a water pond in her village in Kenya.
Sharing God’s Love Around the World
Samaritan’s Purse is committed to meeting critical needs anywhere in the world. Following the example of the Good Samaritan, our work helps to save lives, relieve suffering, and share the eternal hope of Jesus Christ. Our ongoing efforts include projects such as:
- Feeding programmes to help nourish famished families back to health.
- Improving the health of mothers and babies.
- Training and resourcing families to grow food and raise livestock in order to create a sustainable income.
Emergency food distributions sustain families in crisis situations.
Maternal and child health programmes help to fight malnutrition among babies and children growing up in impoverished communities.
Livestock and agricultural projects teach farmers best practices for a more sustainable income and lifestyle.
